JHU JA_Final_13 July_Redacted.pdf

DDefense Threat Reduction Agency and

United States Strategic Command Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction

8725 John J. Kingman Road, Stop 6201 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Nature and/or Description of Action

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) contracting activity proposes to execute a sole source contract on behalf of the Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP), of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (CTR), with the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security (JHU CHS) without using full and open competition. This effort, entitled “JHU CHS Biosecurity Dialogues” will foster and facilitate strategic biosecurity dialogues between the U.S. and key partner countries in the INDOPACOM region. These dialogues will improve insight into existing capabilities, gaps, threats and priorities among partners in order to support targeted biosafety and security (BS&S) and biosurveillance efforts. In addition, these meetings will encourage lasting professional relationships between senior leaders both in the State and private sectors.

The Period of Performance for this effort is currently planned as a 24 month Base Period and one 24 month Option Period; the estimated dollar value is $2, .00

2. Description of the Supplies/Services Required

BTRP, together with the JHU CHS, has developed and hosted multiple sessions of strategic biosecurity dialogues between the U.S. and key partner countries in Southeast (SE) Asia since 2014. The sessions have traditionally taken place in-theater, but are sometimes hosted in the United States. The multilateral SE Asia dialogue series and the bilateral U.S.-India dialogue series focus on important lessons learned and solutions for key biosecurity challenges and seek to elevate findings to the highest levels of government, including formal government-to-government engagement. The biosecurity dialogues result in an after action report (AAR) capturing lessons learned and the dialogue discussions, which is then circulated among attendees and is used to help inform future USG and foreign government policy decisions.

There is an ongoing and growing need for this type of acquisition as partner countries included in the SE Asia and U.S.-India dialogue series experience biosecurity gaps across a broad swath of governmental sectors. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) requires improved insight into existing capabilities, gaps, threats and priorities among their partners in order to support targeted biosafety and security (BS&S) and biosurveillance efforts. Both multilateral and bilateral communication channels need to be further developed in SE Asia and in India to encourage lasting professional relationships between senior leaders both in the State and private sectors.

3. Statutory Authority

The statutory authority for this non-competitive action is derived from 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 2304(c)(1) or 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source. This Statute further provides that in the case of Department of Defense (DoD) procurements a sole source may be justified when there is more than one, but still a limited number of sources, with unique capabilities.

4. Applicability of Authority

Pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, JHU CHS is the only performer which satisfies the criteria necessary for successful performance of this effort:

1. JHU CHS possesses the highest level of credibility and standing in the health security arena.

2. JHU CHS has extensive relationships amongst the relevant scientists, thought leaders, and policy makers required to assemble the right mix of participants for these events. JHU CHS has extensive experience in guiding and shaping previous strategic dialogues which ensures the success of future discussions.

Founded in 1998 as the first academic center to address biosecurity issues, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is renowned in the field of biosecurity. Since its foundation, the Center has published hundreds of reports, peer-reviewed publications, commentaries, books, and book chapters. Additionally, the Center has published a widely respected and cited body of original research, analysis, and recommendations for policy and practice and has two decades of experience designing and producing valuable, productive, and engaging biosecurity meetings and publications. In addition, the Center’s most visible publication, Health Security, was established in 2001 as the first peer-reviewed journal in the field of biosecurity, and it has become the preeminent source of scholarly biosecurity research.

JHU CHS has an extensive network across the professional biosecurity and biosafety spaces, both within the United States and globally. In nearly twenty years as the world’s foremost academic biosecurity research institute, the Center has hosted numerous high-profile events. The meetings that the Center convenes on biosecurity, nuclear security, public health, and emerging infectious disease issues are attended by officials and staff from the Executive and Legislative branches of the federal government and experts from the technical, policy, academic, medical, public health, emergency management, and legal communities.

This effort is a continuation of work which JHU CHS has been performing, in partnership with BTRP, for the past six years. During this time, JHU CHS has demonstrated, expertise in developing and leading the dialogue to ensure the utmost value from the discussions. Taking into account the above capabilities, expertise, extensive relationships and connections of JHU CHS, contracting with an organization other than JHU CHS for this effort would duplicate cost and cause unacceptable delays to schedule while incurring performance risk. The cost of similar organizations without existing partnership with DTRA, credibility, and capability to host multiple sessions of strategic biosecurity dialogues would nearly cost the government $6 million dollars. Additionally, it would take at least ten years for any other organization to achieve the same level of credibility within the health arena while developing the numerous amount of relationships within the biosecurity field.

There is substantial risk that they would not be able to achieve the same level of trust and familiarity, and would therefore jeopardize the entire effort. This would ultimately lead to an unacceptable delay in fulfilling Agency requirements.

5. Effort to Solicit Potential Sources

DTRA posted a “Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source to John Hopkins University” on 20 May, 2020, via beta.SAM.gov. Per the posting, interested parties had up to fifteen (15) calendar days to submit “clear and convincing evidence of their qualifications and/or capabilities”. The posting noted that qualifications and/or capabilities would be used to determine whether or not to conduct the procurement on a competitive basis. As of June 4, 2020, no responses were received.

6. Fair and Reasonable Costs

The estimated price of this contract action is $2, .00 for a Base Period and one 24 month Option Period. The final price of this action will be determined to be fair and reasonable based on the Independent Government Estimate (IGCE), actuals from historical pricing, and price analysis which will be performed during a planned Cooperative Proposal Development (CPD) with JHU CHS. The Contracting Officer has preliminarily concluded that contract negotiations will lead to a fair and reasonable price and their signature on the resultant document will constitute the determination required by FAR 6.303-2(a)(7).

7. Market Research

In accordance with FAR Part 10, formal market research has been conducted for this acquisition.

The research sources used consisted of prior acquisition information a review of government and commercial databases, internet resources, publication of a Notice of Intent. This research found no sources capable of reasonably meeting this requirement other than JHU CHS.

8. Other Facts

None

9. Interested Sources

There are no other known sources capable of reasonably fulfilling this requirement based on the unique position, background, and experience JHU CHS. There were no responses to the Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source to John Hopkins University despite allowing 15 calendar days for other potential performers to respond.

10. Subsequent Actions

At this point, it is anticipated the Dialogues will continue for at least four more years. As BTRP’s mission in the INDOPACOM region evolves, the Program Manager will continue to assess the role of the Strategic Dialogues and JHU CHS.